Walnut huller



Jan. 23, 1940. w ANDERSON 2,187,994

WALNUT HULLER Filed Dec. 10, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVE NTOR W CharZesAndersora BY @wlmm ATTORNEY w c. ANDERSON Jan. 23, 1940.

' WALNUT HULLER Filed Dec. 10, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR -Iirr m W C12 arlesAn 0101x5011 BY ATTORNEY Jan. 23, 1940. w c. ANDERSON WALNUT HULLER Filed Dec. 10, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR W CharlesAnderson Patented Jan. 23, 1940 PATENT OFFICE- 2,187,994 I WALNUT HULLER I I W Charles Anderson, Linden, Calif.

Application December 10, 1935, Serial No. 53,754

7 Claims. L (01. 83-37) This invention relates to machines for'removing the green hulls from walnuts; my principal object being to provide a machine for the purpose which will effectively remove the hulls from the nuts, wash the latter, and cause the separation of the hulls from the nuts while in the machine; so that the nuts are delivered in a washed condition and free of hulls or other foreign matter.

A further object is to provide a machine for the purpose which while having a large capacity is relatively small and compact, is simple and inexpensive to construct and operate, and yet which is very sturdy and may be operatedfor a long time without any replacements or repairs being neces-.

sary.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts .as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section showing the hulling and separating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a plan View substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower hull separating disc and the superimposed hood, the latter being partly broken away.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the machine comprises a main hulling and. separating tray formed of a circular plate I surrounded by an upstanding band 2. On the same level as the plate I is another circular plate 3 which may be integral with the plat I. The band Zalso surrounds the plate 3; the circles of the two plates intersecting each other so that a feed opening. 4 of a certain width is formed therebetween, as shown in Fig. 3. Another completely circular band 5 the same diameter as the band 2 is surmounted on and is concentric with said band, the area of the feed opening 4 being defined in height by the plate I and the bottomof the band 5, and in width by the length of the cord of intersection of the plates and the consequent distance between the opposite sides of the adjacent portion of the band 2. A feed hopper 6 is disposed in upstanding relation to the plate 4, and is mounted on and surrounds the adjacent portion of the band 2.

Some distance below and axially alined with the plate I is another horizontal tray, comprising a circular plate 1 surrounded-by an upstanding band 8. This band has a discharge opening 9 on one side with a curved bar Hi serving to restrict the discharge and extending about said opening on the outside of the band a slight distance above the plate. Both trays and the machine as a 6 whole are supported on and secured to legs H which extend on the outside of the tray bands, as shown.

Suitably mounted on the legs above the upper tray are horizontal bars l2 which extend parallel 10' to a line between the centers of the plates i and 3 and at one end project into the hopper. Mounted on said bars is a bearing 3 for a vertical shaft it which extends downwardly through the trays and p is also engaged by a bearing l5 mounted on the 5 bottom of the plate I. The bars also support a bearing I6 for another vertical shaft ll axially alined with the plate 3 and terminating adjacent the same, as shown in Fig. 2. The shafts l4 and p I! are gear connected with a counter-shaft S 2 mounted on and extending lengthwise of the bars l2: which shaft is driven from an electric motor M mounted on top of the machine, as shown in Fig. l. The shaft H at its lower endcarries a extending fingers 18, the length of which is sufficient for them to project through thefeed opening 4 to sweep over the adjacent portion of the I plate I.

The plate I has a plurality of radial slots 59 therethrou'gh arranged in staggered relation as shown in Fig. 3, and a relatively large central opening 20 inwardly of the slots. A Y hood 2! flares outwardly from about the opening 29 to the band 8, being of course interrupted at the dis- 35, charge opening 9.

The plate 1 is also provided with a plurality of radial slots 22 arranged in staggered relation as shown in Fig.- 4. The slots in both plates are sufficiently long and wide to receive hulls on edge therethrough, but are of insufiicient width to pass any nuts.

A rotary brush B depends into the upper tray to work on th nuts fed into said tray and is driven by the shaft M. This brush B comprises upper and lower mounted discs 23 and 24 disposed on a level between the top and bottom of the band E5 and nearly the same diameter as said band. Said discs depend from and are secured to a hub 25 splined for vertical adjustment on the shaft Ml Stiff closely spaced steel bristles 26 are secured I in and depend from the disc 25, said bristles being omitted about th opening 20, and also having their continuity interrupted at intervals about the periphery of the plate v24 for'several rows deep, to

form circumferentially disposed peripheral pockets 21.

In order to render the bristles readily replaceable they are preferably made of U-shaped or hairpin form, the legs of each bristle being placed through a pair of holes drilled through the lower disc 23, and the cross members of the bristle units being engaged by the upper disc 23 which is remova'bly bolted to the disc 24, as shown in Fig. 2.

Fixed on and upstanding from the plate I is a spiral band 28 of less height than the band 2 and extending from said band inwardly to the opening 20 in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the brush. The bristles of the latter clear the spiral band by an amount determined by the size of th nuts being hulled.

Vertical adjustment of the bristles, according to the size of the nuts or to compensate for wear is accomplished by means of a yoke arm 29 pivoted at one end on one leg II and extending to adjustable securing means on the opposite leg, as shown in Fig. l. Said yoke arm straddles and is connected to a ring 35 turnably mounted on the hub 25.

The shaft It also carries a fixed flat diametrically extending agitator unit 3| to sweep over the plate 7 in close proximity thereto and tending to throw the nuts on said plate centrifugally and through the discharge opening 9.

A water pipe 32 surrounds the hood 2I toward the top of the same, having spray nozzles 33 connected thereto and depending therefrom into the hood, and water jet members 5% projecting upwardly therefrom to discharge into the upper tray through certain ones of the slots I9.

In operation the lower nuts in the hopper 3, by reason of the pressure of nuts from above and by reason of the centrifugal action of the agitator bars I8, are carried continuously toward the opening 4, moving in the direction shown by the right hand arrow in Fig. 3.

The brush B is at the same time moving in the opposite direction, as shown by the left hand arrow in Fig. 3. The action of the bars I8 continually moves the nuts into the pockets 2? and against the rotary movement of the brush B. The presence of these pockets insures the feeding of a certain quantity of nuts onto the plate I through the opening 4 and inwardly of the perimeters of the brush B and plate I. Since the brush B is moving in a direction opposite to that of the bars I8 this sets up a sort of an eddy current at the opening 4. This prevents any clogging of the nuts at this point and also initiates an abrading action as the nuts rub against each other as they roll in opposite directions.

As the brush B continues to move around, the nuts from the pockets 2! dribble down into the space between the lower end of the bristles 26 and the plate I.

The action of the rotating bristles 26 then scrubs and rolls the nuts about and detaches the hulls from the nuts. The hulls fall through the slots I9.

The action of the brush B of course naturally exerts a contrifugal movement against the moving nuts as well as driving them in a circular direction. This combined movement of the nuts gradually moves them into contact with the inner face of the spiral band 28. This band spiralling as it does toward the center of the plate I works contra to the centrifugal action and gradually feeds them to the central discharge opening 20.

It will be obvious that by the above described movements and action on the nuts the latter are positively moved from adjacent the outer rim of the plate I to the center thereof by a combined centrifugal and circular movement which compels them to travel a distance much greater than the diameter of the plate I. This affords the rotary brush ample opportunity to effectively remove all the hulls from the nuts, most of which hulls drop through the slots I9 before reaching the central opening 20. The falling hulls are caught by the hood 2| which discharges them to the floor or ground clear of the lower tray I. From there they may be carried away by any suitable means.

As the nuts are being hulled and rolled about on the plate I by the brush B, they are subjected to the washing action of water or other cleaning fluid issuing from the jets 34.

The nuts and whatever hulls remain on the plate I and discharging through the opening 20 are received on the lower tray plate I. Here the revolving agitator bars 3I cause the hulls to discharge through the slots 22; the nuts being again washed by the liquid from the downwardly directed nozzles 33, and being finally discharged through the opening 9 by the centrifugal action imparted thereto by the agitator bars 3|. The nuts thus discharged are received on a conveyor sorting table or the like, as indicated at 35. The bar I0 across the opening 9 prevents the too easy discharge of the nuts from the lower tray and insures them being retained in said tray a sufficient length of time to be thoroughly rinsed and washed by the spraying liquid.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention as de-, fined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A walnut huller comprising a horizontal circular tray having a bottom plate provided with a central nut discharge opening, means to feed nuts to be hulled onto the plate from one side thereof, a rotary brush inthe tray comprising a circular driven disc depending into the tray with a clearance fit and bristles mounted on and depending from the disc to a termination clear of the bottom plate to engage and scrub nuts thereon to remove the hulls therefrom, the outermost rows of bristles on the disc extending in the form of circumferentially spaced sections about the periphery of the disc and means to feed nuts through the huller.

2. A nut huller comprising a plate having a discharge opening, a brush arranged in spaced relation to the surface of the plate, means to revolve the brush, the continuity of the bristles of the brush about the perimeter thereof being interrupted to form pockets, means to feed nuts into the pockets, the space between the brush and plate being such that as the brush revolves the nuts may dribble from the pockets into such space, and means whereby the nuts will then be carried over the surface of the plate and discharged through said opening.

3. A nut huller comprising a plate having a dischargeopening, a brush arranged in spaced relation to the surface of the plate, means to whereby hulls from the nuts may be discharged from the plate before the nuts reach the opening.

4. A walnut huller comprising a horizontal tray having a bottom plate provided with a central nut discharge opening and hull discharge slots outwardly of said opening, means to feed nuts to be hulled onto the plate from one side thereof, hulling means operatively mounted above the plate to engage the nuts on the plate and cause the removal of the hulls from the nuts, means on the plate to cause the hulled nuts to be moved, with the operation of the hulling means, to the nut discharge opening, and a lower separating tray onto which the nuts, together with any hulls remaining therewith, drop I through said central discharge opening; said lower tray having hull discharge openings in its bottom and a nut discharge opening in its side, and means to agitate the nuts on said lower tray and finally discharge them through said side opening.

5. A walnut huller comprising a horizontal tray having a bottom plate provided with a central nut discharge opening and hull discharge slots outwardly of said opening, means to feed nuts to be hulled onto the plate from one side thereof, hulling means operatively mounted above the plate to engage the nuts on the plate and cause the removal of the hulls from the nuts, means on the plate to cause the hulled nuts to be moved, with the operation of the hulling means, to the nut discharge opening, a lower separating tray onto which the nuts, together with any hulls remaining therewith, drop through said central discharge opening, and means associated with said lower tray to separate such hulls from the nuts and discharge the latter from such tray. 1

6. A walnut huller comprising a horizontal tray having a bottom plate provided with a central nut discharge opening and hull discharge slots outwardly of said opening, means to feed nuts to be hulled onto the plate from one side thereof, hulling means operatively mounted above the plate to engage the nuts on the plate and cause the removal of the hulls from the nuts, means on the plate to cause the hulled nuts to be moved, with the operation of the hulling means, to the nut discharge opening, a lower separating tray onto which the nuts, together adjacent the element and including a hopper disposed to one side of the plate and having a bottom plate in substantially horizontal alignment with the huller plate and in communication therewith, and means mounted above the hopper plate to engage nuts thereon and sweep the same onto the huller plate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the hull ing element.

W CHARLES ANDERSON. 

